The Federal, State and County Shares of IV-E Adoption Assistance Payments
Federal Fiscal Year 2023
In a January 5, 2023, post “Breaking News,” we reported that, beginning on January 1, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) would pay the non federal portion of monthly payments set forth in initial IV-E Adoption Assistance Agreements up to $350 per month. It was formerly $250 per month. County agencies would be responsible for the non-federal portion of payments over $350 as set forth in initial adoption assistance agreements
Federal, State and County Financial Participation Rates*
In Ohio, Title IV-E Adoption Assistance payments are funded by a combination of federal, state and county dollars. The federal share of adoption assistance payments varies slightly from year to year, usually falling between 62% and 63%. For Federal Fiscal Year 2023 (Oct. 1, 2022 through Sept. 30, 2023), the federal financial participation rate is 63.58% of each adoption assistance payment. The state’s share is 36.42% of the first $350 of a monthly adoption assistance payment. The county is responsible for 36.42% of the the portion of a monthly adoption assistance payment over $350, up to the child’s foster care payment rate.
*Note: The chart below does not include the additional emergency COVID funding, which is being phased out during FFY 2023. Rather than trying to track variations in federal funding across 2023, the following chart employs the originally assigned federal financial participation rate of 63.58%. The federal financial participation rate is actually somewhat higher for FFY for parts of FFY 2023 and the county participation rate somewhat lower than 36.42%. The following chart, however, should give readers a relatively accurate picture of federal, state and county portions of adoption assistance payments going forward.
Federal, State and County Shares of Monthly Adoption Assistance Payments, FFY2023
Suggestions and Observations
$350 should be considered the minimum negotiated adoption assistance payment.
A relatively modest investment of county dollars brings a significant amount of monthly support through federal and state funding. A county investment of $236.73, for example, results in a monthly adoption assistance payment of $1,000 for a special needs child and her adoptive family.
In negotiating adoption assistance agreements, a commitment to increasing an adoption assistance payment by $100 a month, costs the county agency an additional $36.42.
Great points. As I like to point out, most people would tell you it is foolish to not contribute to your retirement if your employer has a match. Here it is nearly 2-1 match from the federal government in investing in Ohio children and families. For the counties the first $350 is free to them.